The Graze is back after the early season rush / hurricane season evacuation and recovery exercise. There’s a lot going on.
Looking Back
The USF football team has climbed to a new season high in the two major polls. After slow starts in all of their games thus far, they’ve managed to post dominant victories in each game. Last season, it was the offense that carried the team. This year, it is a huge turnaround on defense that is making the difference, who “now rank in the top 25 in nine statistics”, according to Bay News 9.
Yahoo Sports points out that the Bulls are #1 in turnover margin and interceptions and that the team ranks 13th in total defense.
The ECU Pirates got their first win of the season, beating UConn 41-38 on Sunday. Now, their senior quarterback, Thomas Sirk, has them “fired up for USF”.
Sirk was 30 of 39 for 426 yards against the Huskies, a career high for him. Those factors, along with three touchdowns, earned Sirk AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, joining two USF Bulls for weekly honors. Deatrick Nichols had two interceptions and a forced fumble in the 43-7 beatdown of Temple. Emilio Nadelman kicked a new AAC record, tying a USF record, five field goals in the same game. Nichols has been named conference Defensive Player of the Week and Nadelman has been named Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Orlando Sentinel celebrates a USF player, wide receiver, Deangelo Antoine.
Looking Forward
Up next for USF is ECU, who is a 26 point underdog in the game. The 1-3 Pirates edged past UConn, 41-38 to secure their first win of the season. Despite that, The Oracle warns the Bulls not to look past ECU.